Our weekly blog on the New Orleans fine dining scene

Top Chefs And Top Dogs

Robert Peyton

Courtesy of Bravo

Season 11 of Top Chef is based in New Orleans. Two local chefs participated. I don't know what happened or who won, but I like the show generally, and you should watch it despite the fact that the companies who advertise during the show are sometimes trying to sell you the illusion of cooking.

I like Top Chef because it rewards cooking. It's a reality show; there's no doubt about that. I'm sure the chefs were generally chosen for their abilities, but I'll be goddamned if they didn't also just all happen to be young and photogenic.

The most attention in this regard, at least as of the season premiere, is on Janine Booth, who wore cut-off jean shorts in the prep kitchen during the first round. I don't want to shock you, dear readers, but many of the comments I read about the episode were directed towards her bottom! The comments were favorable.

I wasn't that impressed, to be honest. Janine is good looking, but apart from Emeril and Tom “Mr. Clean” Coliccio, everybody on the show is good-looking. What's one more piece of ass in shorts?

That's a rhetorical question, kids, and one I'm not going to answer, because despite the fact that I suspect some of the chefs on this show were selected for reasons other than their culinary bona fides, what they cooked, at least to the extent we can judge it on television, was impressive. (Editor’s Note: Read MyNewOrleans.com’s recap of the latest Top Chef episode here.)

In other news, Dat Dog is running an Oktoberfest special through the end of October, which makes sense. There's a Bavarian Bratwurst made for the occasion as well as $1 off all German beers. Both Dat Dog locations do a pretty damn good job of approximating a Bavarian beer garden, so this isn't really a stretch, but $1 off German beers is a good thing all around, and despite the fact that I cannot accept as much as a single frankfurter in return, I hereby endorse Oktoberfest at Dat Dog.

The fact that I cannot accept compensation for endorsing food or restaurant related items does not, of course, mean that I cannot accept compensation for endorsing things about which I do not regularly write. If, for example, the wonderful people at Apple want me to endorse an iPad, MacBook or anything else, I'm available. I will also consider singing the praises of companies who manufacture diapers, baby wipes, strollers and Scotch whisky.

Call me?

Anyways, here's some info from Dat Dog:

Uptown, New Orleans - Celebrate Oktoberfest in true Dat Dog style with German beer, a traditional Bavarian Bratwurst special and even a dog talent show at the Dat Dog Magazine Street location on Saturday, October 12 at 6:00 p.m.

Dat Dog’s Beer Gardens and unique menu of wieners and sausages make the beloved restaurant a convenient and authentic option for Uptown Oktoberfesting.

Dat Dog's Oktoberfest Special is a Traditional Bavarian Bratwurst (lightly smoked, thinly ground pork sausage) topped with sauerkraut and classic mustard on a specially made soft pretzel bun. Try it with a cold bottle of St. Pauli Girl, Warsteiner, Weihenstephaner, Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Weizen or anyone of Dat Dog's other premium German beers. All German Beers are $1.00 off during Oktoberfest at Dat Dog.

Of course, Dat Dog's European-inspired beer garden (illuminated by strands of bulbs at night) feels a little bit like Oktoberfest all year long.

The annual Oktoberfest Dog Show categories include: cutest dog, best trick, ugliest dog, best Oktoberfest dog and a dog/owner look alike contest. Winners will receive gift certificates and treats from Petco and Dat Dog. Registration for the dog show is free at datdog.eventbrite.com.

Dat Dog is located at 5030 Freret Street (504.899.6883) and the new Dat Dog at 3336 Magazine Street near Louisiana (504.324.2226). Open Lunch and Dinner 7 days. For more information about the Dog Show, visit Dat Dog's Facebook page or call 504.343.6551.

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Our weekly blog on the New Orleans fine dining scene

about

Robert D. Peyton was born at Ochsner Hospital and, apart from four years in Tennessee for college and three years in Baton Rouge for law school, has lived here his entire life. He is a strong believer in the importance of food to our local culture and in the importance of our local food culture, generally. He has practiced law since 1994, and began writing about food on his website, www.appetites.us, in 1999. He mainly wrote about partying that year, obviously.

In 2006, New Orleans Magazine named Appetites the best food blog in New Orleans. The choice was made relatively easy due to the fact that Appetites was, at the time, the only food blog in New Orleans.

He began writing the Restaurant Insider column for New Orleans Magazine in 2007 and has been published inSt. Charles Avenue, Louisiana Life and New Orleans Homes and Lifestyles magazines. He is the only person he knows personally who has been interviewed in GQ magazine, albeit for calling Alan Richman a nasty name. He is not proud of that, incidentally. (Yes, he is.)

Robert’s maternal grandmother is responsible for his love of good food, and he has never since had fried chicken or homemade biscuits as good as hers. He developed his curiosity about restaurant cooking in part from the venerable PBS cooking show "Great Chefs" and has an extensive collection of cookbooks, many of which do not require coloring, and some of which have not been defaced.

Robert lives in Mid-City with his wife Eve and their three children, and is fond of receiving comments and emails. Please humor him.